Wireless Shutter Synchronization for Multi-Camera Smart Devices

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for wireless time-synchronized capturing across multiple devices suffer from inaccuracies in shutter timing synchronization, particularly in the order of microseconds, which affects the consistency and precision of image and video capture.

Innovation Solution

A smart device system with image sensors, communication devices, and processors synchronizes timers across devices using wireless communication protocols, directly or indirectly controls shutter opening and closing timing to maintain consistent shooting intervals and phases, and adjusts shooting settings like exposure time and phase to achieve precise synchronization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If wireless communication protocols are used for time synchronization among multiple devices, then the system achieves wireless synchronized capturing capability, but the shutter timing accuracy deteriorates to microsecond order errors

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewireless synchronized capturing capabilityVSAvoidshutter timing accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a leader device as an intermediary that coordinates shutter timing among multiple devices. The leader device generates timing signals and distributes them to follower devices, enabling synchronized capture while compensating for wireless communication delays through timestamp-based synchronization protocols.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where devices exchange timing information and synchronization status through wireless communication. The leader device receives timing data from followers, calculates synchronization errors, and adjusts timing signals to maintain microsecond-level accuracy across all devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Measurement precision

If frame injection method is used to adjust shutter timing, then the shooting time interval can be modified on the order of microseconds, but the system complexity increases due to additional control mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshutter timing control precisionVSAvoidcontrol mechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies frame injection by inserting an additional capture frame between regular preview frames at predetermined intervals. This preliminary action allows the system to adjust shutter timing phase without requiring complex real-time control during normal operation, as the injection timing and duration are pre-calculated based on desired phase shifts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12483782B2System for wireless synchronized capturing, and smart device

Publication Date: 2025.11.25 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD

AI summary

The present disclosure provides a smart device. The smart device includes: single or multiple image sensors, a communication device, a processor; and a memory storing a computer program that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to: synchronize a time of single or multiple timers of the smart device or the image sensors among the multiple smart devices, based on a protocol for time synchronization on wireless communication by using the communication device; and directly or indirectly control shutter opening and closing timing of each image sensor, in order to keep constancy of shooting time interval and phase, wherein the phase is a remainder obtained by dividing shooting time by the shooting time interval. The present disclosure improves the accuracy of synchronized capturing.